A doomsday shelter for the 1% is reportedly being investigated by the FBI as a possible front for a Colombian money laundering scheme

Trident Lakes, a doomsday getaway for the rich, is
reportedly being investigated by the FBI as a possible front
for a Colombian drug trafficking scheme.

The buzzy Texas condo development promised hundreds of
fortified, underground condos where the 1% could live out the
apocalypse.

The FBI has filed against a criminal complaint against
the Trident Lakes owner for allegedly laundering money he
believed to be from Colombian drug dealers, according to the
report.

Ad

A much-hyped $330 million condo development outside Dallas,
Texas, had an unusual pitch for prospective buyers. It combined
decadence and "DEFCON 1 preparedness," its proprietors claimed,
making it the place for wealthy individuals to ride out the
apocalypse in comfort and style.

Called Trident Lakes,
the luxury residential community is now being investigated by the
FBI as a possible front for a money laundering scheme, according
to Dallas news station CBS 11.

A federal criminal complaint has been filed against Trident Lakes
owner and manager John Eckerd and an unnamed co-conspirator,
alleging the pair accepted money they believed to be proceeds
from the Colombian drug trade but was actually money from
undercover FBI agents, according to documents obtained by CBS 11.

Ad

The federal sting reached a climax earlier this year when Eckerd
allegedly agreed to launder $1 million from Colombian drug
dealers through Trident Lakes.

Eckerd reportedly faces two counts of money laundering and one
count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He's also being
sued by at least one person who said their investment in a tire
business was diverted to Trident Lakes for Eckerd's personal
gain, according to the report.

Located along a highway north of Dallas, Trident Lakes promised
to be one of the most unique gated communities in the US. The
development plans included a spa, a gun range, an extravangant,
18-hole golf course, and 532 fortified, subterranean condos built
to withstand the catastrophic events from viral epidemic to
nuclear war.

The condo prices ranged from $449,000 to $1.9 million, according
to the FAQ page
on the Trident Lakes website. It's unknown if any people bought
property there.

caption

A rendering of a Trident Lakes condo provided by the company in 2017.

source

Trident Lakes

A former spokesperson for Trident Lakes told Business Insider via
email in 2017 that the development was still "in the early stages
of development."

"We're building more of an interactive, sustainable community,
rather than just a hole in the ground to hide in," the
spokesperson said in that email. "Trident Lakes will be an
above-ground country club resort with all the bells and whistles,
but also - if need be - one of the safest places on Earth in our
underground condominiums and communal living spaces."

Trident Lakes began
accepting applications from potential residents in early
2017, though a spokesperson said at the time that the first round
of enrollment was by invitation only. The company invited
doomsday preppers to join the waitlist.

It's unclear how much of the development has been built, though
neighbors at the mobile home park across from Trident Lakes
told CBS 11 that they've seen no construction.

Eckerd, the development owner, has been out on bail since March,
CBS 11 reported.

Eckerd's attorney, Dallas defense lawyer Bob Webster, did not
immediately respond to a request for comment. Representatives for
Trident Lakes and the FBI did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.